ABSTRACT
First emperor of a unified China, who established a political system that remained the basis of Chinese government for more than 2,100 years. A highly controversial figure in Chinese history, Shi Huangdi enjoys a reputation as an effective and far-sighted monarch who forged a single Chinese state from divisive, constantly fighting kingdoms. However, historians also portray him as a cruel and ruthless leader who forced citizens to labor on exhausting and dangerous construction projects, and who ordered mass executions of those who opposed his policies. Although Shi Huangdi ruled over his empire for fewer than 15 years, the country of China is still known by the name derived from Shi Huangdi’s Qin dynasty.
